[House  Bill  No.  319.] 

HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  Jan.  3,  1865.— Read  first 
and  second  times  ;  continuing  special  order  after  last  special  orders ; 
to  be  printed. 

[By  Mr.  Miles,  Military  Committee.] 


A    BILL 

More  effectually  to  prevent  nnd  punish  Absenteeism  and  Desertion  in  the 

Army. 


1  Se(.'tion'  1 .   The  Congress  of  the  Confederate  States  of  Ame- 

2  ric.'i  do  <'nact,  That  every  General  commanding  a  department  or 

3  separati'  army  in  the  field,  is  hereby  required  to  drop  from  the 

4  rolls  any  officer  absent,  without  authority,  for  a  longer  period 
•5  thnii  thirty  days. 

1         Sec.  'J.    Ho  it  further  enacted,  That  any  regimental   officer, 

'2  Nvho,  in  the  opinion  of  the  General  commanding  the  department 

5  or  separate  army  to  which  he  belongs,  shall  willfully  or  care- 

4  lessly  neglect  the  comfort  and  care  of  his  men,  or  exhibit  an 

5  undue  laxity  of  discipline,  shall  be  punished  by  suspending  him 

0  from  his  rank  and  from  all  pay  and  allowances  for  such  time, 
7  not  to  exceed  three  months,  as  the  General  commanding  the  de- 
5?  paitMient  or  army  may  prescribe. 

1  Sec.  3.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  any  commissioned  officer 
'2  of  the  army,  who  shall   knowingly  recruit  or  receive  into  his 


2 

3  command  any  private  belonging  to  another  command,  or  shall, 

4  after  being  informed  of  the  fact,  neglect  to  return  such  private 

5  to  his  command,  or  to  deliver  him  up  to  the  proper  authorities 

6  charged  with  the  arrest  of  deserters,  within  the  state  where  such 

7  officer  may  be,  shall  be  dropped  from  the  rolls  by  the  President, 

8  upon  satisfactory  proof  that  the  offence  specified  in  this  section 

9  has  been  committed  by  him. 

1  Sec.  4.    Be  it  further  enacted.  That  any  officer,  uon-commis- 

2  sioned  officer  or  private,  who  shall  desert  from  the  atmy,  shall, 

3  in  addition  to  the  penalties  now  provided  by  law,  have  his  name 

4  recorded  in  the  Adjutant  General's  office,  upon  a  separate  and 

5  distinct  roll  to  be  kept  for  the  purpose,  copies  of  which  shall 

6  be  sent,  every  three  months,  to  the  Governors  of  the  respective 

7  States  and  all  Generals  in  command  of  separate  departments  or 

8  armies  in  the  field. 


